New Zealand’s Deepest Port Officially Opens Tomorrow

Northport Port opens in Northland tomorrow and brings with it an extra $15 million in income a year to the Northland district.

Prime Minister Helen Clark will officially open the Northport facility, which is the deepest natural port in New Zealand, at 11am.

The Marsden Point Port is a joint venture between Port of Tauranga, Northland Port Corporation, while Carter Holt Harvey is a partner in the ports operating company.

Northport Chairman Mike Daniel says, “This port is a major transport infrastructural development for New Zealand, providing closer and easier access to our export markets.”

He says as well as that it will support significant economic growth and employment in the Northland region also.

While the port was built as a direct result of the demand for processing the increasing wood fibre base coming on stream in the region, it will also cater to fertiliser, dairy, kiwifruit and meat.

Carter Holt Harvey will be transporting around five million tonnes of cargo through the new port over the next five years.

Carter Holt Harvey Chief Executive Chris Liddell says, “This is a significant milestone in developing the infrastructure NZ needs to maximise the potential of the increasing supply of fibre.”

Currently forestry contributes four per cent to New Zealand’s GDP and is the 3rd largest export sector.

Chris Liddell says with the appropriate investment this could increase to 14 per cent of GDP over the next 25 years and earn an additional $10 billion in export earnings.

He says partnerships like this one at Marsden Point Port will be the key to unlocking the potential export growth within the industry.

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